Exonerated suspects forced to pay up to have photos removed from web

[mahatmakanejeeves]

America - someone thinks up a new racket every day. You thought Righthaven was bad? Feast your eyes on this:

Exonerated suspects forced to pay up to have photos removed from web

By Benjamin Carlson Monday, November 26, 2012

It’s a 21st-century shakedown.
....

That’s the dilemma facing people across the country as a backlash rises against mug-shot websites that demand that people pay up to have their pictures removed, even if they were never convicted of a crime.

Websites like Mugshots.com and Arrests.org have collected millions of mug shots by scraping police department websites, and if innocent arrestees want their photos taken down, they have to spend anywhere from $399 to $1,479.
....

“It’s legalized extortion, in my opinion,” said Anthony Rickman, a Florida attorney who said he has handled numerous inquiries from clients seeking mug shot removal.

[d_r]

1. we should own our own images

like if a photographer takes your picture, the photographer owns the image. You have to have their permission to use your own image. We should own our own image and be able to enforce how it is used.